Hemmings Find of the Day – 1947 MG TC

While it may be a bit of an exaggeration to say that the MG TC relaunched postwar road racing in the United States, pictures of early SCCA grids show them chock full of MGs. There’s good reason for this, as the cars were nimble, affordable and competitive enough to launch a racing career, as demonstrated by Carroll Shelby. This 1947 MG TC, for sale on Hemmings.com, may lack celebrity ownership and a documented racing history, but that merely adds to its appeal as a driver. Restored in 2006, then garaged and covered, the roadster appears to be in show-ready condition, though if it were in our garage, we’d be too busy adding top-down miles before winter to park it for that long. From the seller’s description:

MGTC 1947 An early example (chassis number under 2,000), engine and chassis plate numbers match, 130 psi compression in every cylinder, perfect oil pressure, no smoke, excellent running, excellent gearbox, no driveline clunks or other noises, excellent rust and damage free chassis, nicely painted and detailed underneath, new fabric covered wiring harness, all working instruments, new wiper motor, new wood dash, chrome wire wheels, very good chrome and trim, fairly new biscuit interior….a VERY NICE car. Refurbished by The New England Classic Car Company in 2006 – Garaged add covered.

SUGGESTED READING

Geomechssays:

September 11, 2015 9:21 am

First time I really noticed a TC was in ’65 when I read ‘The Red Car.’ I don’t know if I was more fascinated with the car or the car’s resurrection. Since then I’ve seen some nice ones. This Is no exception.

Vancesays:

September 11, 2015 12:42 pm

“The Red Car” brings many great memories to me. I still enjoy reading it 52 years after my first reading. My dad had a green ’51 TD when I was a kid…many great memories of riding the running boards or rear bumper, dad driving SLOWLY around the neighborhood, half a dozen other kids hanging on. Always thought about a TC…the closest has been the green TC print by Harold Cleworth that has hung proudly above the guest bed for 39 years.

Paulsays:

September 11, 2015 11:17 pm

My Uncle Burton has a beautiful TD and I had the pleasure of riding for quite a while this summer with him. He has owned it for 50 years and it is in fantastic shape. He got me interested in cars when I was just 11 years old when he let me drive his Bug Eye Sprite down the country roads. Great memories of cool little cars :o)

Howard Arbituresays:

September 11, 2015 9:35 am

I always thought the “T” series MG, was this spindly, old time looking car, ( compared to my MGB, anyway) that would tip over turning into a driveway, but they were, in fact, a very good handling car. Probably could use a little more power, but for the time, it turned on many returning G.I’s from the war, to open roadsters, and it didn’t take long for American mfr’s. to jump on the bandwagon. This, to me, is BRG ( British Racing Green) and it actually, from what I heard, is kind of a tough color to match. I thought that rear tail light bar was added, but it appears, from images, that was the original light setup. Just a beautiful example here, love the dash (British cars ALWAYS had the neatest dashboards). One thing for sure, the next owner can begin top down motoring, right away. ( don’t forget the leather gloves, little visor cap, and the white scarf flailing in the wind behind you)

Howard Arbituresays:

September 11, 2015 12:37 pm

John C. Kovalosays:

September 11, 2015 1:15 pm

There was a film version of her life that came out in 1968, starring the then-luscious Vanessa Redgrave as Isadora. Sorry, I couldn’t find the film itself on YouTube, but Wiki gives a summary of it. As noted, she was killed in an Amilcar, but called the driver “Bugatti”, being more of a dancer than a gearhead, I’m guessing.

sumdudeonlinesays:

September 11, 2015 1:38 pm

Tommy Msays:

September 11, 2015 2:23 pm

Raymond Costasays:

September 11, 2015 9:39 am

As Secretary of the Vintage MG Car Club of Chicago (celebrating our 49th year), I know a lot of people who have TC’s and have seen dozens. Prices range from $24K for an OK driver to about $50K for a show winner. It costs $20K or more to restore a TC if you do all the work yourself except paint. This one, if accurately presented, is a good deal. You can’t buy one and restore it to this condition for this price. For this kind of money one has a lot of choices in old cars. The MG community, however, makes owning a car like this loads fo fun. There are clubs all over the country full of wonderful people. We have all kinds of events. This year our club will have 26 events, so if the weather is dry, there is something to do with your car. So, go have a good time! Today it’s raining, but tomorrow…

wayne mikoszsays:

September 11, 2015 12:38 pm

Hey Ray,
Glad to hear the VMGCCC is still up and running and that you’re as active as ever. I was President way back in the late 60’s(?) early 70’s(?), well, around then. Say hi to anyone that may still be around from that time, please.
Wayne Mikosz

Don Homuthsays:

September 11, 2015 9:50 am

Drove to the closest supermarket two weeks ago in the Corvair convertible, and parked next to one of these just as the owners were coming out. They had two bags with them. In the conversation, they allowed as to how that was all they could possibly carry.
In our conversation (of course we talked — that’s what Car People tend to do) they said they’d owned theirs for coming up on 18 years, and that every now and then they just took it out and drove it around. No shows, no events — just liked to drive it.
But this is Oregon. One really should do that of a nice day. The cold monsoons will be here soon enough. So if it’s not Too hot (it will be mid-90’s here today) or too wet (that will come early next week, but after an otherwise enjoyable weekend) and one isn’t really trying to drive down the superslab (just don’t do that in a TC — you’d be a hazard), as good a take on vintage motoring as one can get.

Howiesays:

September 11, 2015 11:06 am

Joesays:

September 11, 2015 11:19 am

John C. Kovalosays:

September 11, 2015 11:28 am

Always spiffy-looking and the ultimate in leisurely top-down enjoyment, the embodiment of the Pre-War sports car upgraded just enough to be a better, more stable driver whilst still retaining that mechanical whirr and ka-chunk, the TC was an instant favorite when it came out and has remained a perennial favorite ever since, and for good reason.

One of the nicer things is that it remains affordable to the dedicated enthusiast and has a fanatical following that’s hard to match.

A half-century from now, [licensing rules permitting] you’ll still be able to encounter an occasional one, groceries stuffed in behind the seats and the owner approachable and willing to explain just WHAT an “SU” is…

Jimmiesays:

September 11, 2015 11:59 am

I never “got” these until I rode in one. Then I understood. The car comes up to about your waist, 20 miles per hour feels like 70 in anything else, and everyone in sight will wave to you. Fun motoring.

Speedzztersays:

September 11, 2015 1:24 pm

What amazes me is that Ford was so focused on “Fordism” and economies of scale that they missed rather obvious opportunities to repackage some of their old, obsolete, amortized stuff into simple sports cars.

But then, all of Detroit missed the entire post-depression enthusiast car niche until at least 1953.

One wonders how many niches they miss now by being so wedded to volume trucks and two-box sport utilities (which are really neither, IMO).